SPARC/SOPA Stage at the SOPA Studios

The South Pasadena Arts Council (SPARC) in partnership with the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and SOPA Studios will be presenting four musical groups as part of the Sixth Annual Eclectic Music Festival.

The Eclectic Music Festival will take place on Saturday, May 3, from 2:00 – 10:00 pm at several venues around the city.

The SPARC/SOPA Stage happens at the SOPA Studios, 1025 Hope Street, South Pasadena, from 5:00 – 10:00 pm.

At the SPARC/SOPA Stage we are presenting a fantastic lineup of music.  The acts scheduled to appear include:

*5:00pm            Lisa Finnie

*6:15pm            Shadowlands

*7:30pm            Anny Celsi Band

*8:45pm            Jonah Smith

* All times approximate

Lisa Finnie

Described by the LA Weekly as a “torch-hillbilly enchanteuse” with “hip-chick atmospherics”, local singer-songwriter and radio host Lisa Finnie incorporates elements of blues, jazz, folk into her songs of love and loss. A Pasadena native and a fixture on the LA roots scene for over a decade, Finnie brings her “sultry languid approach” to a rich set of originals and a cover tune or two, and always with a groove.

Joining Finnie will be the stunningly versatile, guitarist-in-demand, Dylan Thomas (Max Collins Band, The Dickies, King Cotton), multi-talented bassist/trumpeter/banjo player, Tim Fleming (Laura Branigan, Yesterday's Child) & Finnie’s longtime collaborator, percussion maestro/harmonica slinger, John Palmer (Wanda Jackson, Ronnie Dawson, Three Bad Jacks).

Shadowlands

This newly formed band’s ethereal folk pop sound combines the voices and instruments of four experienced songwriters. With musical roots in San luis Obispo, Southern Californai and Denmark, Shadowlands is an expression of the universal language of music, the love of good songwriting and tasteful arrangements. Karoline Hausted’s distinctive piano and voice, Mark Davis’ solid guitar and vocals combine with Bob and Wendy Liepman’s vocals, guitar and cello. Accolades as separate artists include the SLO New Times music awards, LA Times Album of the Decade and a nomination for a Danish Grammy.

Anny Celsi Band

Her style has been described as “beatnik cool,” “pop-noir,” and “slightlydelic pop jangle,” and has evoked comparisons to artists like Aimee Mann, Lucinda Williams and Jackie DeShannon.  The LA Weekly recently cited her as “one of this city’s smartest and catchiest pop songwriters.”  Tangle-Free World (2009), produced by Nelson Bragg of the Brian Wilson Band, showed influences ranging from Bacharach to The Bangles and back and was chosen by Al Kooper for his “Cream of the Crop” album list.   Anny’s latest self-produced album, January, once again combines Brill Building hooks with a songwriter’s eye for detail. 

Anny has recently returned from her fifth tour of the UK and Europe, performing with Tish Hinojosa in England, Ireland, Germany and The Netherlands. Other acts she has shared the stage with include The Coal Porters, Steve Forbert, Amy Rigby and I See Hawks In LA. She has performed at music festivals from SXSW to NXNW, New Orleans’ LMNOP Festival, The Bite of Portland and the Blue Highways Festival in The Netherlands.  Several of her songs have shown up in films by Tyler Perry as well as on the ABC show “Once Upon a Time.”

A Southern California transplant from Portland, Oregon, Anny has called South Pasadena home for seven years and is the proud mother of a SPMS graduate, musician Ivan Pyzow

Jonah Smith

Jonah Smith is a critically acclaimed singer-songwriter that is based in Los Angeles, CA. He pulls from the deep well of American blues and many of its offshoots, including soul, country, and folk. Smith is essentially a songwriter with the voice of a soul singer. He has won an Independent Music Award for his song, “My Morning Scene” which was a radio staple and has toured internationally for the last nine years including performances at festivals such as Bonnaroo and the BAM festival in Barcelona, Spain. He has shared the stage with other artists like Los Lobos, & Little Feat. His latest release, "In The Kitchen" was recorded and produced by Smith in his friend's kitchen. The song "Big Umbrella" is currently in rotation at SiriusXM Coffeehouse. At its best, the singer Jonah Smith’s amalgam of American Roots and soul evokes The Band (Garth Hudson’s accordion on an early record didn’t hurt).

If you are a music aficionado, it will be a great day to come to the SOPA Studios and partake of the music @SPARC/SOPA STAGE.  All events are free. Food, Art, Live Music, and fun for the entire community.  Come out to the Eclectic Music Festival